In a big pot of water over medium-high heat, drop the piece of kombu seaweed.

Add 2 tablespoons each of the white and red miso paste to the kombu broth. The white miso is more mild than the red, but the both together give a wonderful depth savoury and umami flavour.

Add the chopped garlic and ginger…

Add the dried shiitake mushrooms…

Add the sliced onion…

Add coriander roots…

Add large pieces of green onion…

Add the S&B (Nanami Togarashi) seasoning and stir the soup.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. After 15 minutes, remove the kombu and ginger slices. Note: Please do not throw the kombu/ginger out! slice the kombu into strips for a seaweed, sesame salad and use the ginger in a sauce, dressing or stir-fry for example.

After taking out the kombu add the fresh mushrooms and (pre-cooked) tofu noodles to the soup…

Then add the chopped baby bok choy…

Finally add the bean sprouts and shopped scallions. Let the soup cook for another 15 minutes, uncovered, so that the bok choy wilts and mushrooms/bean sprouts get tender.

Spoon a ladle full of broth in the bowl, add some noodles, then vegetables around the bowl. Enjoy!

This warming and nourishing soup provides a quick and flavoursome winter ‘meal in a bowl’. I prepared this dish for my parents who came over for dinner in celebration of their 29th year wedding anniversary. We enjoyed slurping the broth at the end, after all, a family that slurps together stay together!

– The vegetables offer complex carbohydrates and fiber, the mushrooms and tofu are a source of plant-based protein, the seaweed and fermented miso supply extra minerals and vitamins.

– Kombu is a type of kelp that contains calcium, iodine and glutamic acid, an amino acid responsible for the umami taste. Mushrooms and miso paste also have umami, which makes this a super savoury soup!

– Use organic GMO-free labelled tofu noodles and miso, as unfortunately soy is one of the major crops that is genetically modified. I used more white miso than red, as red miso has a stronger more pungent taste. Miso being a fermented food, has a ‘probiotic affect’ that supports healthy gut function and intestinal microflora/bacteria. Being a high-sodium food, it is important for those with high blood pressure to use miso sparingly.

– Bok Choy or ‘Chinese cabbage’ (not the same as Napa cabbage – another asian green) is a cruciferous vegetables that is great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, folate (B9), and Vitamin B6. As with all cruciferous vegetables, bok choy contains glucosinolates (sulfur-containing chemicals) and brassinin, which have powerful anti-cancer affects.